President of Libya’s former legislature, the General National Congress, has said that the liberation of Al-Watiya Base was the result of sustained efforts that continued for years and cost many lives and blood.

In an interview with Tanasuh channel on Tuesday, Nuri Abu Sahmain said, "Sustaining the gains is more difficult than obtaining them, therefore, we must give serious thought about how to preserve this victory and repel the aggressors".

"No one wants war, but when it comes to preserving the homeland and principles, we will not hesitate to go into battle," added Abu Sahmain.

He indicated that the war on legitimacy did not begin on April 2019, but even earlier on February 2014 when the renegade Haftar attempted via a televised statement to oust the legitimate authority and claimed that the constitution was invalid.

Abu Sahmain recalled the crimes of Haftar in Benghazi and Derna, and his offensive against the south, Jufra, Gharyan, and other cities in the western region.

As he congratulated the Libyan army forces for the liberation of the Watiya Base, Abu Sahmain paid tribute to the martyrs and wished recovery to those injured.

He called for the Watiya Base to be neutralized from any local, ideological, political and regional strife, insisting on the necessity of chalking a comprehensive military plan to consolidate the Libyan army's control over the base and block the road in front of any suspicious movements that might drag the country to another war under the cover of legitimacy or other regional military forces.

Abu Sahmain urged Libyans to disregard calls for the partition of the country. "However, there is no harm in adopting a decentralized system, such as the provincial system with broad powers or other criteria, determined by specialists," said Abu Sahmain.

He also advised fighters of the Volcano of Rage Operation to organize themselves under a legal body based on a previous law issued by the General National Congress, regarding forming the National Guard Force, with the view to preserve victories, and ensure that the principles of the revolution are not overthrown.

"The agreement with Turkey was too late, said Abu Sahmain, adding it was possible to sign this agreement early since 2015 or 2016 at most.

Abu Sahmain appreciated Turkey's support at a time the international community turned its back to the Libyan people, as he put it.

He thanked Turkey, its president, government, and people for standing with Libya, which according to him was no surprise, "As their positions throughout history bear this out, and perhaps Murad Aga's campaign against the Knights of St. Jhon stands witness of those bright pages".

Abu Sahmain welcomed the agreement with Turkey and called for developing the military agreement in a manner to meet the best interests of both countries.

"We must pay no attention to the counter-revolutions mouthpieces attacking the agreement," said Abu Sahmain. "Libya has concluded agreements with France, Britain, and other countries, and no one said it was treason," he added.

“Realism obliges us to give the state that stood with Libya in its plight privileges and priority over other states that turned their backs when we needed them," the General National Congress head underscored.

He also thanked the State of Qatar for standing with Libya and called on neighboring countries to cooperate to protect the borders.

At the conclusion of his interview, Abu Sahmain called on the Libyan people to shake off the dust of war and think of a better tomorrow and look forward to a prosperous future in order to build a strong unified state that rejects tyranny, exaggeration, and extremism.

“All sectors of the population should take part in the construction of their future independent state based on justice and respect for the law," Abu Sahmain said.

He also appealed to the judicial and police authorities to release those who have been unjustly imprisoned and to give consideration to the humanitarian and compassionate factors in these special blessed days of Ramadan, as he put it.